Tilak Nagar Police Launches Crackdown on Non-compliance with Tenant Verification After Baba Siddique Assassination

Mumbai: After it was revealed that the attackers involved in the Baba Siddique case had rented a house in Kurla to secretly plan the assassination, the Tilak Nagar police in Chembur launched a house-to-house verification drive across their jurisdiction to detect any criminal element or activity. Since then, around 10 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been lodged against property owners for failure to comply with legally mandated tenant verification procedures, which require landlords to provide tenant details, including identity documents and tenancy agreements, to local police.

After it was revealed that the assailants in the Baba Siddique case had rented a house in Kurla to secretly plan the assassination, the Tilak Nagar police in Chembur launched a house-to-house verification drive across their jurisdiction to detect any criminal elements or activities. Since then, around 10 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been lodged against property owners for failure to comply with legally mandated tenant verification procedures, which require landlords to provide tenant details, including identity documents and tenancy agreements, to local police.

In 2008, amid the Mumbai terror attacks, the Bombay High Court issued guidelines mandating verification of tenants and emphasizing tighter control over rental accommodation to address growing concerns about crime and terrorist activities in urban areas. During this process, landlords are required to collect documents such as Aadhaar cards, PAN cards or passport along with contact details from tenants. These details must be submitted to the local police station for verification, either in person or online. The authority applies to both short-term and long-term tenants. Non-compliance may lead to fines or legal action against property owners; this rule is now actively enforced by Tilak Nagar police station.

In the Siddiqui assassination case, Mumbai Police revealed that the attackers had rented a property to avoid detection while coordinating their actions. They are suspected of using fake identities or intermediaries to secure the rental. Following this revelation, police authorities launched a separate investigation to identify individuals who may have helped accommodate the attackers or neglected tenant verification procedures. The investigation continues.

“Tenant verification is of great importance to prevent such vulnerabilities,” said Sandip Pawar, PSI and part of the Anti-Terrorism Cell (ATC) at Tilak Nagar police station. “To date, nearly 10 FIRs have been registered against property owners and landlords.” Most of the booked landlords had rented their flats in areas such as Amar Junction, PL Lokande Marg, Ramabai Colony and Amir Baug to unknown tenants; all of these were within Chembur district.

“This practice is not limited to slums; it also extends to apartments and buildings where owners deliberately or negligently fail to comply with the rules,” Pawar explained. “Unlike previously when owners had to physically submit documents to the police station, the process can now be completed online in a few clicks. Tenant verification is crucial for safety and security, especially to prevent unwanted activity.”

According to police officials, 10 FIRs have registered property owners and in some cases even tenants without proper identification documents. No arrests have been made in these cases filed under Article 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (disobedience to orders duly issued by a public servant). Instead of arrest, notices are being issued to the accused under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which recently replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). This section requires the police to issue a notice directing the accused to appear if detention is unnecessary. “After the interrogation and statements are taken in the next two days, we start preparing the indictment and present it to the court. The court generally decides whether the accused will face penalty, fine or both,” Pawar explained.

How to verify tenant:

Go to Mumbai Police website
Click Tenant Information
Fill out the form
Attack Required Documents
Submit the form
Get approval and follow up if necessary